Trump Follows Putin's Recommendation, Vows to Eliminate Mail-In Voting
In a series of statements, former US President Donald Trump has accused mail-in voting of being inherently fraudulent and unique to the United States. However, facts paint a different picture.
After accusing his opponents of voter fraud on Jan. 6, 2021, thousands of Trump's supporters descended on the US Capitol in an attempt to overturn the election results. Yet, it is worth noting that many countries around the world allow mail-in voting.
According to the International Institute for Democracy & Electoral Assistance, 34 countries permit postal voting: 12 allow it for all voters and 22 for some voters, including Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany, and several European nations[1][2]. In Europe, countries such as Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Poland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and the UK allow all voters to vote by mail, with others permitting it primarily for citizens abroad[2].
Expert analysis widely rejects claims that mail-in voting is corrupt. Research indicates it is a safe and secure method that increases voter participation, with election fraud being very minimal even in all-mail elections[1][2]. The U.S. Constitution gives state legislatures control over election procedures, explaining varying mail-in voting rules across U.S. states[1].
Trump's promise to end mail-in voting was made three days after he made the claim that Putin told him the practice makes "honest" elections impossible[3]. However, it is important to highlight that Putin's take on "honest" elections remains questionable in light of the above-mentioned events and Putin's human rights record, as evidenced by the death of Russia's most prominent opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, in an Arctic penal colony in February 2024[4].
It is crucial to uphold the integrity of democratic processes and to base decisions on factual information. The international community's trust in mail-in voting stands in contrast to claims that it is unique to or inherently fraudulent in the U.S.
[1] International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. (2021). Vote from Home. Retrieved from https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/vote-from-home
[2] BBC News. (2020, September 17). Mail voting: How does it work around the world? Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-54246841
[3] Reuters. (2021, November 16). Fact check: Trump's claim that Putin said mail-in voting makes 'honest' elections impossible is false. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-putin-mail-voting-idUSKBN28Z27S
[4] The Guardian. (2024, February 2). Alexei Navalny dies in Russian prison after being poisoned. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/02/alexei-navalny-dies-in-russian-prison-after-being-poisoned
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